July 29 Results

The main lodge was open. Music flowed. The moles were in retreat. The course was groomed and fast. Good karma had been reestablished.

Initially four Cowabungas, Sticky Wicket, Mr. Wicket, Surferino and Wick O'Shay, were on hand to play. Then Leftie arrived, making it a fivesome.

Mr. Wicket won the first game. Surferino missed a kill shot on Mr. Wicket leaving Mr. Wicket a short and final kill shot. The second game was won by Sticky Wicket. Both Sticky and Mr Wicket hit great shots each game. But Sticky hit the SOD when his long shot on the middle wicket nicked Leftie's ball and sliced through the wicket.

ATTN: Floyd, if you are reading this, your lost  pickleball paddle has been found. Mr. Wicket has it. Fetch it quickly, or be prepared to buy it on Craig's List. Also, what prompted you to print your name on each side of the paddle?

All's well that ends well......

July 25 Creepy Time Results

They converged from all directions carrying life sustaining liquids. As they encountered the dystopian scene, the four Cowabungas were gobsmacked by the Katrina-like conditions. The main lodge was shuttered and quiet with no signs of life therein. Lawn chairs and tables were overturned. Plant debris littered the course. Wickets were crooked and bent. Little mounds of fresh dirt dotted the course indicating a harmonic convergence of moles. The horror! The horror!

Using a hacksaw and sledge hammer, the Cowabungas managed to open the clubhouse door to retrieve the balls, stakes and numbered tiles. After preparing the course for play, Leftie, Sticky Wicket, Surferino and Wick O'Shay suffered through a joyless but restorative prefunc.

Two rounds were played. Leftie won both rounds. The SOD was remarkable. With the first of two shots upon exiting the turn-around wickets, Wick clobbered his ball sending it up and over the flowerbed landing on the lower lawn and rolling to the lowest hedge, narrowly missing Leftie's ball. It was truly the most dramatic terrible shot seen in blog history.

Hours later in Wilson Park, the four Cowabungas, and those who love them, hoisted goblets of red wine and discussed today's creepiness and other items of local interest.

July 17 Results

Beneath a sunny sky on a well groomed and perfectly aerated lawn, the fire that was Mr. Wicket was extinguished.

Five Cowabungas, including Mr. Wicket, Leftie, Sticky Wicket, Surferino and Wick O'Shay played two long and competitive rounds. Each round was fraught with rule controversies, great shots  and wicked dialogue. The pre-func and halftime func plus ice-cold Pacificos (yes we drink beer sometimes in moderation) made for rollicking rounds.

Leftie, abashed but unbroken, survived to win the round. Employing a rope-a-dope defense while Poison enabled Leftie to pick off three challengers around the finishing wickets. A near miss by Mr. Wicket left Leftie with a short kill shot for the win. Leftie's kill shot on Wick was the POD because of the unusual action post-shot. Leftie's ball struck Wick and entered but did not fully penetrate a wicket  leaving him alive to kill again. (See diagram C)

Surferino won the second round by adopting Leftie's rope-a-dope defense. With the first of two shots earned, Mr. Wicket courageously attempted to bypass Poison Surferino's ball in front of the finishing wickets to set up a shot for poison. Unfortunately he struck Surferino's ball thereby committing suicide. Thereafter, Surferino cleaned house.

The competitive games resulted in four SOD. Two shots by Mr. Wicket, and one shot each by Surferino and Sticky. Each SOD was lengthy and advantaged the player tremendously.

As Rules Chairman, Mr. Wicket is searching for the misplaced rule book. Any assistance would be appreciated.



Scoring a Wicket
A has not started to score the wicket.
B has started to score the wicket.
C has not scored the wicket.
D has scored the wicket.

July 14 Results

En fuego. Mr. Wicket was en fuego. He won both rounds and had the SOD. Others, including Sticky Wicket, Wick O'Shay, Surferino and Leftie, played well in spots but couldn't stop the juggernaut that was Mr. Wicket.

On the mole influenced course, Mr. Wicket did not allow himself to be distracted by Sticky's endless chatter. He also demonstrated courage and dedication by rescuing his errant shot from deep under the deck. The rescue provided others with a chance to rehydrate and further erode their skills.

 All bow to Mr. Wicket 🙇🙇🙇🙇.

July 13 Results

Another fine summer afternoon for croquet. Wick O'Shay, Mr. Wicket, Surferino and Leftie played the first round. The second round lacked Wick O'Shay and went very quickly.

Mr. Wicket won the first game. Surferino won the second game. The SOD belonged to Surferino who, from a long uphill distance, nicked Mr. Wicket who was positioned at the wicket.

Earlier in the day, Sticky Wicket, Surferino and Mr. Wicket scored some tasty waves at a favorite break. The Cowabungas are committed to enhanced recreational activities.

July 9 Results

Somebody played under conditions similar to July7 and July 8. Somebody won. Details have not been reported. But, probably there was excitement and humor. Congratulations somebody.

July 8 Results

Two rounds played. Players included Sticky Wicket, Mr. Balls, Surferino, Mr. Wicket, Wick O'Shay and Leftie. For weather and conditions, see July 7 results.

Game one went to poison Leftie who made a long kill shot on poison Surferino. Game two was won by the team of Leftie and Sticky Wicket, dispatching the team of Mr. Wicket and Surferino and the team of Mr. Balls and Wick O'Shay.

Whackdown Results.

Yes, it was a nearly perfect coastal summer day; warm but not hot, a cool not cold breeze, partly cloudy and sunny, an insightful pre-func with curated music on the outdoor speakers. The course was green, groomed and challenging. Cowabungas present included, Leftie, Mr. Balls, Sticky Wicket, Surferino and Mr. Wicket. Two rounds were played.

Sticky Wicket won the first round, hitting two memorable, long distance shots, including a kill shot on Mr. Wicket,  eligible for shots-of-the-day, SOD. He also positioned himself well taking advantage of others' mistakes. Although suffering from a foot problem, Sticky was still able to rise to the occasion after each great shot and bust a few steps of the Sticky shuffle as Mr. Balls looked on in amazement. One time the shuffle was prompted by Sticky's backing into the mature yucca plant while trying to lineup a shot on the turnaround wicket(s). News flash: Sticky stuck sighting shot sipping suds.

Surferino won the second round, executing two great shots en route: one a long downhill shot  adjacent to the deck curving through the center wicket stopping within a few feet of another ball, the second was his long kill shot on poisoned Sticky resulting in a second shot killing Leftie, the play-of-the-day, POD.

Sticky Wicket and Surferino shared the SOD honors. They whacked down the competition all of whom will have a chance to retaliate tomorrow during Whackdown 2.0, the show no mercy affair.

July 2 Results

A late afternoon start time in the cool breeze with construction debris serving as hazards did not deter the sweatshirt wearing crew from playing two rounds. Leftie, Wick O'Shay, Surferino and Mr. Wicket quickly completed each round.

Mr. Wicket won the first round. Leftie won the second. The shot-of-the-day, SOD, would have been Mr. Wicket's backward through the wicket hit on Wick had not Surferino earlier aced a loooong green shot hitting Wick in front of the turnaround wickets.

The play-of-the-day, POD, was a sequence of  Surferino's ace shot on Wick O'Shay followed by hitting the turnaround stake, exiting and blasting through the next wicket in one long shot.

Mr. Wicket announced the expected arrival of Mr. Balls next weekend. Perhaps all Cowabungas will be available to play in the inaugural July Whackdown.

July 1 Results

From the south side course, hidden among the dandelion tentacles, sphagnum, sticks and branchlets, under a grey but graying sky, Wick O'Shay, Surferino and Sticky Wicket played two fast rounds.

Sticky Wicket hit he the shot-of-the-day, SOD, which became the play-of-the-day, POD, when his approach shot to the turnaround wickets and stake went zooming through both wickets and hit the stake. It was a long but true shot which propelled him to the victory.

Surferino won the second round, poisoning a spent Sticky Wicket. He also poisoned Wick O'Shay who had a tough shot near the boundary that went amiss.